Posted
by
samzenpus
on Friday August 20, 2010 @04:03PM
from the thou-shall-write-your-own-book dept.

An anonymous reader writes "In medieval times a 'book curse' was often included on the inside cover or on the last leaf of a manuscripts, warning away anyone who might do the book some harm. Here's a particularly pretty one from Yale's Beinecke MS 214: 'In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. In the one thousand two hundred twenty-ninth year from the incarnation of our Lord, Peter, of all monks the least significant, gave this book to the [Benedictine monastery of the] most blessed martyr, St. Quentin. If anyone should steal it, let him know that on the Day of Judgment the most sainted martyr himself will be the accuser against him before the face of our Lord Jesus Christ.'"

The need to curse thieves of expensive hand-written Bibles disappeared when the printing press appeared, and Bibles became as plentiful as leaves to wipe your arse. Then nobody cared if you took it from the church (it was easily replaced). Some even started giving bibles away, in order to educate the masses. And of course the bible is not and never has been copy-protected.

Guessing at the literacy rates in 1229, what are the chances that a sticky-fingered thief would also be able to read the curse in order to feel the dread that it was meant to create? Did they have a literacy program for miscreants?

However I've once heard about some valuable illustrated bible in medieval Ireland, of which a monk from another monastery (or maybe it were several, quite probably, I'd say) made (by hand, of course) an exact copy (as exact as copies could be made that way). The monastery who owned the original version didn't like that and wanted the copy to be destroyed. They asked the pope, and the pope indeed ordered that the copy was to be destroyed.

Unfortunately I can't verify that story or give further details (I tri

That story - or one very similar - is in the book "How the Irish saved civilization [amazon.com]" by Thomas Cahill (chapter 6), where a monk named Columcille made an unauthorized copy of a psalter that belonged to the Bishop Finian of Clonard. The dispute as to whether he could keep the unauthorized copy was resolved by the King Diarmait, whose decision in history’s first copyright case was logical: "To every cow her calf; to every book its copy".
However, for some reason the RIAA must have existed in some mediev

The Bible was copy protected, with a prejudice, by the Roman Catholic Church. Smashing printing presses and burning heretics at the steak were quite common ways of making sure only the Priestly caste had access to the Bible.
This is basic Church history learn it love it then leave it.

Well, you *could* - Thomas Jefferson had his own version with a lot removed (1), and others have added to it (2) - but there is a warning toward the end of Revelation (the last book in the Bible) which applies at the very least to that book itself: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tre

You are quoting the warning correctly, but do remember that the exact same warning lies way back in the Old Testament (in the 4th and 12th chapters of Deuteronomy), as Moses warned of adding to the law he had written down. Applying the same interpretation to both readings would not just ban later edits to scriptural works, but the majority of the Old and entirety of the New Testaments.

A careful reading of the language shows that it is a caution against changing specifically the words of the book of prop

I always thought that a good form of copy protection for pdf ebooks would be to have an automated system take your credit card number, verify it, and embed it on every page of the pdf. Then I don't have to worry about you spreading the file. You get to do the policing for me, because you sure as hell don't want that number getting out into the wild. If I find a copy on P2P, then I'll know exactly who to look up in my database. See, simple.

I imagine if you approached Shakespeare and told him that his plays could be shown across the entire planet without any extra effort on his part - he would be thrilled.

No, by the time of Shakespeare there had arisen a sentiment among authors that only they had the right to disseminate copies of their works. Poets of, say, the Roman era didn't care that their works were transcribed from recitals, mass-copied by amanuenses and sold in the agora without any money going back to them. The only time they complained was when people put their own names on the work -- plagiarism, not copyright violation (Martial composed a witty epigram to this effect). Playwrights of Shakespeare's era, however, jealously guarded their scripts and tried to put a stop to the unauthorized copies made by audience members.

Well, in Germany I don't (with pressed DVDs). I've once selected English language directly when starting a several-language DVD, so I know the spot this is about. But it's easy to avoid even if I want to see the DVD in English, by simply selecting German initially and then switching to English as soon as the main menu appears. I've then tried other languages on that DVD as well, but IIRC the German version was the only one without the spot (one language, I don't remember which, did use a different spot, how

That damned FBI warning, plus all the "nope, you can't skip these ads" crap, is half of the reason why I rip almost all my DVD's, stick them on the file/mediaserver, and then play them through my PS/3's media client functionality. Obviously, I _don't_ rip anything but the main movie track, no more having to sit through 8 freaking ads just so my kid can watch her Thomas movie.

The copyright lobby would be more likely want an additional fee added to the purchase of every pen based on the amount of text you could potentially copy before the ink ran out. This fee would be provided to book publishers to offset the losses they might encounter should you decide to copy portions of the book instead of purchasing an additional copy of the book.

Don't give them any ideas. The air heads tried to push a law in my country that would add a fee to every CD/DVD that can be written on. This fee would then go to the local branch of the RIAA.
Truly evil I tell you. The whole thing was shot down by the press and the people.

That was because God withdrew his protection from you for the abomination of wanting to watch Superman III. Everyone knows that only the first two Christopher Reeve films were any good.

That also depends on your definition of "good." They are entertaining, but during the first movie I can't get past the fact that Superman isn't fast enough to catch the two missiles while in the very same movie he starts flying so fast he goes back in time. In the second movie, the "wtf" moment is the entire final scene against the other Kryptonians at the fortress of solitude. What the hell was up with the throwing of the uniform insignia?

[18] For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
[19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
[20] He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Not copy-protection, but an "invariant section" definition as in the GFDL [debian.org].
The translation is medieval, but the original and therefore clearly the practice is much older. Since there was no government-provided copyright law with which to enforce this, threatening eternal damnation is pretty much the only resort available. (Right?)

(Sidenote: of course, this was written before that book was commonly bound into a single-volume manuscript, but that doesn't stop people from assuming that they were meant to apply to the entire bible in its current form.)

threatening eternal damnation is pretty much the only resort available. (Right?)

When I was in high school (very traditional high school — we learned Latin) in 19humtpyhum, smart-ass kids would write curses into their schoolbooks Illicitly: the books belonged to the school, not them). One in wide use was:

Hic liber est meusTestis est DeusSi quis fureturPer collum pendetur

(This book is mine / As God is my witness / If anyone steals it / Let him be hanged by the neck.) I later saw it printed in a book about education, so doubtless it was, umm, "borrowed" without the author's knowledg

Actually, most good books [sic] in the middle ages were chained to the library shelves, curse or no. It wasn't until the invention of the printing press that books became "unchained" and eventually so ubiquitous that hardcovers became "special" and paperbacks were the order of the day. Personally, just like the music and films I give away to my friends and family, I like to lend out books to interested peoples. Even printed information wants to be free. Bringth me your 100GB+ drive, good sir, and I'll shall layeth upon thine disk drive with mighty hands and bequeath to thee an generous sum of iPod movies and MP3s!!1! Go forth, verily and spread thy good datas, friend! Purchase some, share more.

'In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. In the one thousand two hundred twenty-ninth year from the incarnation of our Lord, Peter, of all monks the least significant, gave this book to the [Benedictine monastery of the] most blessed martyr, St. Quentin. If anyone should steal it, let him know that on the Day of Judgment the most sainted martyr himself will be the accuser against him before the face of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Theft is depriving someone of their property, preventing its use. Copying does not deprive the original owner of their property or its use.

Theft is naturally unethical (e.g. stealing another animal's food - possibly depriving it of life). Copying is naturally ethical (e.g. most of nature copies copiously, and thrives off of it - ever heard of DNA?).

Modern humans just happened to decide to provide an *artificial* monopoly of law (an unnatural construct) that allows someone to specify who can cop

Taking something that is not your is theft. It does not matter if they are using it or not. Most decently raised children can understand that concept. then again, decently raised children don't have the undeserved sense of entitlement that a two bit thief does.

Exactly. Back then there was no such concept. Copyright emerged as a way of motivating and rewarding authors whose work was, as it had always been, destined for the public domain. It's a limited monopoly, and once that emerges, so does the issue of protecting that monopoly.

the tactics of scientology, and medieval monks, are a cautionary tale. they actually represent the end game of intellectual property: i control all the information, so i control you, you are my slave. corporations don't call it a religion, but they do the same tactics, with the same end game, whether they realize it or not. relentlessly, they buy off our legislators, and convince them to pass yet stricter and stricter controls on the flow of information

for the sake of all of the noble principles that have arisen out of the enlightenment and so many of us cherish so dearly, and have been codified into such things as the constitution and the declaration of independence, you must do your best in your life to sabotage and destroy the effectiveness of intellectual property. intellectual property is a flawed philosophical premise, but its enforcement works because it creates flows of money, that create power bases, that can be invested in further toll booths on the flow of information, until the whole thing is jammed up, strangled, and controlled. the only antidote is enough of us realizing the threat, and sabotaging it. the idea of fighting intellectual property is actually the fight for the continues enjoyment of our freedoms, ultimately, this is the crux of the clash

and we can do that, with the internet

intellectual property is the ultimate enemy of the freedoms you enjoy and cherish. the internet is the greatest thing since the printing press to challenge the notion. it's a long, ongoing struggle, pitting the highest principles of mankind, versus the lowest, basest forms of control over your life, for the sake of cash. but if you don't wish you or your children to be slaves to corporations, you will do your best to make intellectual property law unenforceable on the internet. it won't be easy, it won't be done in a day, but its one of the most important struggles of our lives, involving the highest principles you believe in

Where's your house? I only ask because you claim it's morally reprehensible to ask somebody not to steal, so I assume you have no problem with people breaking in and snatching all of your stuff. As you say, by claiming you somehow have more of a right to your possessions than I do, you're playing the same endgame. You think all other men your slave. That or you're illiterate and totally failed to read even the summary. Did you even read the headline, or is your usual tirade against copyright law only (s

Medieval scribes wrote book curses in the "colophon" at the end of the book; here are two favorites:

Whoever steals this book let him die the death; let him be frizzled in a pan; may the falling sickness rage within him; may he be broken on the wheel and be hanged.

For him that stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not,... let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with palsy, and all his members blasted. Let him languish in pain crying out for mercy, & let there be no surcease until he sing in dissolution. Let bookworms gnaw his entrails.... Let the flames of Hell consume him forever.
— San Pedro monastery, Barcelona

... and one a bit older (from Asurbanipal's library in Assyria 650 BCE):

Clay tablet of Ashurbanipal, King of the World, King of Assyria, who trusts in Ashur and Ninlil. Your lordship is without equal, Ashur, King of the Gods! Whoever removes [this tablet], writes his name in place of my name, may Ashur and Ninlil, angered and grim, cast him down, erase his name, his seed, in the land.

Not steal. It doesn't forbid copying the bible into your own personal notebook. "If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself. But the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it.

"Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine...

"That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for the moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature. Inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property." - Thomas Jefferson

Therefore:

While I can claim ownership of this bible, and label you a "thief" if you steal it (because I have been deprived of use of the computer), I have NO natural right to claim ownership of the ideas contained within. Your copying of text deprives me of nothing. I still possess knowledge.

Some scholars believe that God's ultimate intention for that was to establish the need for a large, majestic container to store them in, and thus prepare the way for the eventual creation of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Oh, come now. Next thing you're going to say is that all religious rights, texts, and associated constructs... even the religions themselves are simply creations of man! What kind of crazy-talk is that?

I think what at least one interpretation is, is that it says that only Gods rules matter, but if someone is in the position to impose human laws then he must have the backing of god and therefore they are gods rules as well."the powers that be are ordained of God"

It could also be construed as a predecessor to the current (U.S.) constitution. "Unless it is already covered by God's laws, humans have the ability to do as they please." Sound familiar? If not, substitute "the federal government" for God and "state government" for humans.

See Hebrews 11:13-16 - We are "strangers and pilgrims" in whatever land we happen to live. We must be obedient to the law of the land insofar as these laws do not contradict God's law.

I'm an Atheist, and I find believers ignorance regarding there own theology very funny..and sad because you alway spread your ignorance of your theology s if it's the truth and then try to force others to comply.

I remember seeing a facsimile of a sign (probably to be displayed in libraries) that stated that if someone did steal a book from it, he would be excommunicated (as expulsed of the Church) and would not be allowed back until the book was restored. Quite a penalty in old days, but makes sense if you think of hand-copied books or even books from the first prints.

I don't think I'd mind nearly as much if Idle's comments page wasn't so broken....

Agreed. Fortunately, there is a workaround: change the "idle" part of the hostname to some other word. Any story can be served from any subdomain; only the page layout changes. It doesn't even have to be a normal/. host; for example, here's this story in the asdf [slashdot.org] subdomain.

You forget that it's also protection against the destruction of works. And it took ages for a copy of a book to be made, one page at a time. Especially since paper was almost worth it's weight in salt, and sometimes in shortage double it's weight in pepper.

Actually, pepper was quite expensive back in the day. It was actually worth more than its weight in gold. That's why Cooke, Magellan, Drake, Columbus, et al were so keen to get to india. They could buy a hold-full of pepper for a few steel knives and some glass beads, and sell it for gold.